As a blackout of Channel 3 in Litchfield County nears a week, cable customers are speaking out and some are cutting their cable.

Customers are angry and venting about being locked out of the CBS affiliate that covers local news and weather, and this weekend will air the New England Patriots in the NFL playoffs.

"I am dropping the damn cable company," said Wendy Houle of Torrington. Houle said the blackout was the last straw for her family and they plan to tune in to Channel 3 with a digital antenna for local broadcasts.

For other shows they will try Netflix or Hulu.

More than a dozen people surveyed throughout Greater Waterbury and Litchfield County said Wednesday they have either canceled their cable service in recent years or have thought about canceling.

With reasons starting with cost — upward of $200 a month for premium packages — to more flexibility, to the current blackout of the CBS affiliate for 25,000 Cablevision customers, there was little regret among those who have disconnected.

The local customers join a national trend of declining cable subscriptions prompted by high costs and new technology.

Cable subscriptions peaked in 2001 with 66.7 million customers nationwide. Today, there are about 55 million cable subscribers, according to Brian Deitz, a spokesman for the National Cable and Telecommunications Association.

Meanwhile Netflix reported 29.2 million subscribers as of 2013. Hulu has 4 million subscribers and Apple has sold 2.4 million Apple TVs.

Deitz said the alternatives mean competition for the cable industry.

"There is a constant need to update services and meet the consumer demand for what they want," Deitz said. "Cable companies are investing billions of dollars to innovate video services and to provide other services like home security that can keep consumers entertained and connected throughout their lives."

The blackout began at 6:30 p.m. Friday and affects Cablevision subscribers in Cornwall, Goshen, Litchfield, Morris, Thomaston, Torrington, Warren, and Watertown, plus three towns in New Haven County.

WFSB, owned by Meredith Communications Corp. of Des Moines, Iowa, and Cablevision have not agreed on a contract. The disagreement is over WFSB's demand that Cablevision pay to carry the station's local programming in Fairfield County, where Cablevision also carries the New York-based CBS affiliate, WCBS-Channel 2.

Kelly McAndrew, a Cablevison spokeswoman, said contract negotiations are underway, but there was no resolution as of Wednesday evening.

"Programming blackouts are exceedingly rare and in this instance, it's a case of an Iowa-based broadcaster taking the unprecedented action of punishing customers in Litchfield and New Haven Counties because of a business dispute elsewhere in the state," she said.

Houle said she is researching her options and likes the idea of a Roku Streaming Player, which is a box hooked to a television allowing internet streaming from Netflix, Hulu, Amazon, Fox News, PBS, Crackle and more. The device is a among many, including gaming consoles and Apple TVs, which connect to the Internet to provide programming through subscription services less expensive than traditional cable.

Asking for advice from friends and strangers, the most common questions are whether to switch from cable service to satellite for similar programming or to can the packaged channel deals entirely for Internet streaming.

Kate Lansey of Wolcott cut her ties with Comcast about a year ago after experiencing customer service and billing issues. She quickly adapted to Netflix and since has added Hulu. Tuesday she signed up for a trial of Amazon Prime to give that at try.

For $16 a month, she is watching shows she likes, like "Downton Abbey," when she wants. She also said she has better control over what her 3-year-old son watches. She said when she visits friends she finds herself watching what she considers garbage shows. "I would be watching stupid reality shows," she said. "I don't even want to be exposed to them sometimes."

Mary Beth Perrelli of Southington said she and her husband have been without cable for three years. At first they cut the cord purely for financial reasons. But as their television viewing evolved away from traditional cable, she said their quality of life improved. They no longer lounged around watching anything that was on to kill time. "We only focus on TV shows we want to watch," she said. And they read more, she added.

They tried Netflix for a while, but even cut that out after discovering they could watch shows on network websites for free. "Most of the networks you can get full episodes," she said. "We can watch our shows when it is convenient."

Jason Rabeck of Torrington said his decision to chop most of his cable service came down to the price.

"Why pay all that money per month when I can pay $7 a month for each and rock it that way," he said.

Rabeck, 32, has taken it further than just changing his video programming; he uses an inexpensive Internet phone service that charges $4 a month instead of $35.

"All you have to do is the research," he said. "I was paying $200 to $300 a month for a whole bunch of things and I said there has got to be a better way."

Contact Alec Johnson at ajohnson@rep-am.com, on Facebook at RA Torrington or on Twitter @RA_Alec.

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FREEPRESS wrote on Jan 9, 2014 3:23 AM:

" At the end of this month Comcast is deleting the Weather channel (one of our most watched) from the basic service costing almost $30/mo. in central CT for essentially the same channels we pay $11/mo. for with Cox at our summer cottage in northern CT. Plus we have NO interest in all of the religious, Hispanic and home shopping channels that basic service provides. Unfortunately U-verse is not available in our area and satellite becomes way too expensive after the promotional period. Over the air digital reception where we are is the pits - 3-4 channels that pixilate constantly - thanks all you idiots in Congress! We used to get over 15 channels from the antenna atop our house including NY and Boston stations.

Comcast, we are ready to kiss you goodbye! This article has been a great help by informing us of alternate choices. The monopoly cable has had along with its crummy programming, poor customer service and exorbitantly high costs is about to end. We are cutting the cord ASAP! "

" FREEPRESS - Do not give up! I was in the same boat as you three years ago.

Your old antenna is probably the problem for your bad "over the air" reception. Go on the web and google "coat hanger antenna". You can build it yourself (if you are the least bit handy) out of six wire coat hangers, a small piece of plywood, some screws, washers and a 75 to 300 ohm converter that you can buy at Radio Shack (or order it over the web). It IMMENSELY improves over the air TV reception AND IT REQUIRES NO ROTOR!!

There are also improvements to these coat hanger wire antennas (using fractals) to improve reception and pull in even weaker stations. TRY IT! "

On a serious note; I only watch sports programs on the television. My news and weather I receive from the internet via cable or 4G/3G. For commercial free entertainment, there are books and services such as Netflix. "

" @ freepress: I worked many years for at+t and did alot of work on their so-called "uverse" so PLEASE TRUST ME when I say you would be making a big mistake if you signed up for it. UVERSE IS GARBAGE. The reason it is not available in your area is because they are having alot of problems with good signal transmission in areas still not covered. Good luck. "

" i actually like comcast. the hd programming is good. the service techs are good. they have completely rewired my house, for free. even ran new cables from the street. when i called to complain that new customers were getting a better deal, the supervisor gave me an excellent package. i guess i'm the exception. "

" @al.cap...you must have gotten a customer service rep on a good day because when I said the same thing 2 weeks ago to this individual they told me to "read the fine print sir, it's for new customers only".

They could acre less when I told the supervisor I was going to kick them to the curb. "

" It would be nice if the Public retaliated in a massive boycott of the TV signal providers.It is my understanding that our illustrious U.S. Senator Richard (Litigator) Blumenthal has submitted Legislation to force those extortionists to offer ala carte programing. Now you would think with all the sniveling from the customer base related to costs of service old Blumie would be inundated with calls and letters of support.Well here is a real shocker ,all quiet on the western front. "

" @al.cap...I just got off the phone with them and even gave an effective termination date along with a competitor's triple play rates and their response was," sorry to lose you",.. they could care less. "

" It's all about mighty god money. They have everything figure out and know what channels people like the most. Hence, they throw a few good ones on their basic package just to tease you and if you want another one, then you have to take their next package (usually they'll give you the premium channels free for 3 months) which cost more. We have Direct TV and tried their basic package and it was garbage. Just because I wanted to see the Yankees on YES we had to take their next expensive package. Now we're stuck in a 2 year contract and honestly with the exception of a few programs, it's all garbage. The thing is we have Roku and need good internet, If you just want internet service, both Xfinity and AT&T wants to charge you almost as much for it as for their bundles. Now tell me that's not a scam.

Another thing: How come they never offer any promotions to loyal customers for years? Only new customers get the good promotions. "

" I'm disappointed in the inability for Optimum to work out a compromise...I'm even more disappointed in the unprofessional blame they place on CBS.....basically putting the consumer in the middle of a dog-fight between the two....asking US to call our government officials for support.....CBS is wrong.....not Optimum.Yet I still pay $200+ monthly to be denied watching my PATS.Frustrating......I have been in communication with Optimum Chat....clonesreciting corporate dictum..... "

" @l&l- wow. here's what i did. i told them i wanted to drop the movie channels, hd channels, and go to basic internet. it would have dropped my bill to about $90. i had hd, hbo & starz, and 2nd tier internet speed. package jumped from $180 to over $200. i ended up with every channel and pro speed internet for $160. maybe, because the service was still going to be there, they were able to deal. not sure, but the rep was very nice. i've been a customer for 25 years. maybe that played a part. "

" I would like to start a revolution where all of CT cable customers(whether AT&T uverse, Cox, Xfinity, etc)cancel their service. THEN we will get what we want. Providers would be bending over backwards to offer us the best promotions and channels we want. My 9 month old son just lost ability to watch babytv from uverse, now it only comes with the most expensive package or the family pkg(doesn't have the channels my 9yr old watches). I'm tired of these companies bullying us around. "

" @ al.cap....Direct TV offered us a great TV, phone, internet bundle deal for what we needed and even a monthly customer referral credit for less than $90.00 including taxes per month for the first year.

Th second year it jumps to about $114.00 for TV only. while phone and internet won't increase.

Their customer service reps were outstanding and pleasure to work with unlike our current piranha provider. "

PLUS IM GETTING FULL PRICE ON CHANNELS THAT I NOW AM NOT RECEIVING AND ARE GETTING PUNISHED FOR THIS..WE ARE CHARGED THIS IS TOTALLY WRONG TO PUNISH US.CHANNELS NOT RECEIVING AS OF 1-09-2014 IM ALSO CONTACTING THE NEWS PAPERS ABOUT THIS .CHANNELS NOT RECEIVING 3,10,69,82,84,85,86,88,90,91,108,109,140 ,151,152,163,168,169,341,344,345,345 ECT AND MORE PLUS I NO SOME ARE HBO AND SHO BUT THE POINT IS YOUR TAKING OFF MORE CHANNELS WITHOUT NOTICE PLUSWE PAY A MONTH AHEAD THIS IS RONG. CC; TO CHANNEL 8 AND FOX NEWS THANK YOU MAYBE WE CAN GET THIS WORKED OUT I PAY ENOUGH JUST TO HAVE SERVICE. MRS KATHLEEN JASMIN sent1-9-2014

1-10-2010 new letterok i understand but still are missing 3.10.6991,140,151,152 163,168,169/341.349 this is still wrong i sent letters to fox and cbs abc and still getting charged im home bound and now what most of the channels where and would like this looked into my bill too..Very upset and have been with you guys for over 20 yrs and this is still wrong and i feel that im being discrimenated against you because of the area i live in and because thier are not many option for us people in these counties . thank you please look into this ..cc fox news and cbs and facebook----- Original Message -----From: "FoxNews.com Editors" Date: Thursday, January 9, 2014 9:46 pmSubject: Subscription ConfirmedTo: kathleenjasmin@optonline.net "

" L&L I don't know what dream world you're living in, but I've priced them all and unless you have ONLY one TV it'll cost anyone way more then what you're paying. Those low cost promotional offers are bare bones short term deals, which escalate out of sight once you add another TV or other options. If I were to go up to the next tier on Comcast, the three digital adapter boxes I have go from free to something like $10/mo. each on top of the upgraded channel list charges. They have you by the you-know-what's coming and going. I'm with JC, John and the rest. We're getting taken advantage of by these monopolies and should cancel them all in protest. "

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